Bentonville's passing game too much for Southside

David Nichols, Bentonville inside linebacker, pressures Fort Smith Southside quarterback Cooper Johnson during the first quarter of Friday’s game in Tiger Stadium in Bentonville.
David Nichols, Bentonville inside linebacker, pressures Fort Smith Southside quarterback Cooper Johnson during the first quarter of Friday’s game in Tiger Stadium in Bentonville.

BENTONVILLE -- Kasey Ford accounted for three touchdown passes Friday night, but one of them turned out a little different than usual.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Avery Donson, Bentonville running back, evades Fort Smith Southside linebacker Brenden Strickland during Friday’s game in Tiger Stadium.

Bentonville's quarterback was on the receiving end of a 5-yard touchdown pass from Chase Hunter, and Bentonville rolled off 28 points in the second half en route to a 42-14 victory over Fort Smith Southside in the 7A-West Conference opener for both teams at Tiger Stadium.

7A-West Conference

Bentonville 42, Fort Smith Southside 14

Southside^7^7^0^0^—^14

Bentonville^7^7^21^7^—^42

First quarter

South — Dixon 43 pass from Johnson (Gutierrez kick), 4:24

Bent — Clark 4 run (Moehring kick), 3:58

Second quarter

South — Simpson 13 pass from Johnson (Gutierrez kick), 11:55

Bent — Clark 5 run (Moehring kick), :09.5

Third quarter

Bent — Crenshaw 3 pass from Ford (Moehring kick), 5:15

Bent — Ford 5 pass from Hunter (Moerhing kick), 2:09

Bent — Barganier 59 pass from Ford (Moerhing kick), :27

Fourth quarter

Bent — Darby 80 fumble recovery (Moerhing kick), 8:30

Ford appeared to be giving his linemen instructions when he stepped toward the line, but the direct snap went to Jacob Clark, who then pitched the ball to Hunter. Hunter tossed the ball to a wide-open Ford in the end zone, and Hayden Moehring's extra point gave Bentonville (4-0, 1-0) a 28-14 lead with 2 minutes, 9 seconds left in the third quarter.

"Ever since I started here, I've been getting onto coach D (offensive coordinator Aaron Danenhauer) about catching a touchdown pass because it's been a dream," Ford said. "My dreams finally come true, so to speak.

"We've had that play in for a couple of years now. We just never threw it in there, but we were in the right situation to throw it in. I was very excited when coach D called that."

Ford, who completed 17 of 22 passes for 237 yards, broke a 14-14 tie when he hit Matt Crenshaw with a 3-yard touchdown pass with 5:15 left in the third quarter. The Tigers then made it 35-14 when Ford hit Clay Barganier, who had 10 receptions for 175 yards, with a 59-yard touchdown pass with 27.1 seconds left in the quarter.

Southside (2-2, 0-1) struggled with field position throughout the second half and had a trio of possessions end on three-and-outs. The Rebels did have a scoring threat in the fourth quarter, but it turned into disaster when tight end Kevin White fumbled after a pass reception and Logan Darby returned the loose ball 80 yards for Bentonville's last score.

"The bottom line at the end of the day was in the second half -- field position and laying a goose egg," Southside coach Jeff Williams said. "We were stagnant offensively in the second half.

"Bentonville is a good football team and will be in the mix. They're in it for the long haul. I think we have a chance to bounce back and be a good team also. That's just part of the 7A-West."

Cooper Johnson provided Southside with its two scores as he hit Parker Dixon with a 43-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and Evan Simpson with a 14-yard touchdown pass to start the second quarter. Bentonville's first-half scoring came from tailback Jacob Clark, who scored on a 4-yard run in the first quarter and a 5-yard run with 9.5 seconds before halftime.

Sports on 09/26/2015

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